Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana will deliver his 2025 Budget Speech at 2pm on Wednesday. File picture: Armand Hough, Independent Newspapers
OH, MINISTER Godongwana, we need to talk. And no, this is not a polite “let’s grab coffee” chat - it’s more of a “please explain why you think squeezing our wallets any harder is a good idea” kind of conversation.
As you gear up for your big Budget Speech on Wednesday, the rumour mill is churning, and the whispers are getting louder: More taxes? Higher VAT? Another sneaky fuel levy hike? We’d laugh if we weren’t already digging through the couch cushions to find money for next month’s electricity bill.
Look, we get it. There’s a R300 billion gap in the budget, and someone has to fill it. But why does that “someone” always seem to be the already overburdened taxpayer? We’ve been doing our part in holding this country together with nothing but hope, duct tape, and a survivalist’s guide to navigating water and power cuts, and now you want to charge us extra for the privilege?
VAT was bumped up from 14% to 15% in 2018, and unsurprisingly, it hit those with the least the hardest. Raising it again would be like asking a drowning person if they mind carrying a little extra weight. Spoiler alert: We do mind.
We see the government of national unity (GNU) is already in meltdown mode over this. The DA has made it clear they won’t support a budget that includes tax hikes, Cosatu is fuming over the mere suggestion of a VAT increase, and even ANC ministers are reportedly getting nervous. Imagine that - people who actually have power getting a taste of what it’s like to feel financially insecure. Welcome to our world!
We’ve got inflation chewing up our salaries, interest rates making home loans feel like a scam, and fuel prices wrecking our budgets. And now you want to hike taxes?
Instead of coming after the few rands we have left, how about tackling wasteful government spending? Maybe dial down the VIP protection convoys, put an end to the black hole that is state-owned enterprise bailouts, and, I don’t know, stop blowing billions on things that don’t work?
Or here’s a thought: Instead of squeezing every last cent out of the average South African, how about going after the super-wealthy individuals and corporations who somehow manage to “accidentally” forget to pay? You know who they are. We know who they are. SARS knows who they are. Maybe it’s time to knock on their gilded doors instead of shaking down someone who just wants to afford milk this month.
So, Minister, before you step up to that podium, take a moment. Imagine standing in line at the grocery store, watching someone put back a tin of baby formula because their budget didn’t stretch that far. Imagine a family choosing between paying rent and buying school supplies.
If you can picture that, then you already know: Now is not the time to be hiking taxes. South Africans have been patient. We’ve been resilient. But we’re also exhausted. Find another way - because this well has run dry.